‘Absolute disaster’ - Mayo councillors hit out at street tree issue

A number of Mayo councillors have moved to slam the thorny issues presented by trees in the centre of town pathways across the county.

The topic reared its head and prompted a number of comments from those at the December monthly Swinford-Claremorris Municipal District meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

Often, trees are dotted along pathways in the likes of Ballyhaunis and Kiltimagh. However, in some instances, those trees are causing a slew of issues in town centres, according to multiple councillors.

One of those to broach the subject was Cllr Neil Cruise, with fallen leaves top of his agenda.

“They're lime trees, the wrong type of tree. Absolute disaster. They're interfering with the street lights when the leaves are on them.

“I don't know what to do with the ones in Foxford. They'll have to be transplanted or cut out. But they're going to be a serious problem, if not to Mayo County Council to Irish Water.

“Then there’s trip hazards. I measured it at one stage. I have three inches of leaves outside my own front door. I mean, that's ridiculous.

“They're blocking up our stormwater drains. I think the reality is that there has to be a concerted effort to get them off.”

Cllr Alma Gallagher moved to second the motion, describing the numerous issues that have come to pass as a result of trees on the streets of Ballyhaunis.

“I'm fully in support of biodiversity, but they are trip hazards. Even with the wooden boundary around the base, there's stones. Children are coming in and firing stones at the residents' windows."

Cllr Gallagher also talked about the impact of foliage on daylight in local homes, as well as an incident where barriers had to be put up on one side of the street due to a beehive and a wasp’s nest.

“This really isn’t good enough.  I did allocate some of my GMA budget, but it wouldn't be enough to cut down some of the trees there.

“I don't think it's really an issue for a GMA budget to allocate some funding. It needs to go through the mainstream council budget.”

Cllr Adrian Forkan echoes those sentiments and highlighted the issue in Swinford of the roots of trees causing a trip hazard for pedestrians. Next to touch on the topic was Councillor Richard Finn.

“We can't be sitting under the trees waiting for the leaves to fall. These trees are grand and lovely and green, but we have to look at the cost of maintaining them."

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.